Di Lin Enters the City

Luobo Minghai gave Zichuan Xiu a strange look, as if he had seen through Zichuan Xiu's intentions. He remained cautiously outside of Zichuan Xiu's five-meter kill zone, the distance at which Zichuan Xiu was most confident in his attacks.

"Who is in charge of the city gate defense?" he asked coldly, turning to the group of Central Army officers who had already retreated to the side. Despite being a civilian official, Luobo Minghai's naturally chilling demeanor always inspired respect, or rather, fear, in the officers.

A Red Guard Captain emerged, trembling. "I am, I am the city gate defense commander Li..."

"Open the city gates immediately!"

The Red Guard Captain froze. "But... that requires an order..."

"Hmph!" Luobo Minghai's snort was laced with anger.

"Yes, yes, I'll execute it immediately, immediately..." The Red Guard Captain, nearly unable to stand, hurried out, completely disregarding Zichuan Xiu's earlier order not to leave the room. It was clear that the officers' ingrained fear of Luobo Minghai prevented any thought of resistance.

Zichuan Xiu, however, was stunned. What was Luobo Minghai trying to do? Let Di Lin's army into the city? But Yang Minghua had already ordered Di Lin to pursue Ge Yingxing. He shouldn't know that Di Lin's army was still outside the city. Could it be that Yang Minghua had other ambushes outside the city?

Zichuan Xiu recalled Di Lin's assessment of Luobo Minghai: "Unfathomable!"

Luobo Minghai walked towards Zichuan Xiu, reaching into his pocket.

Zichuan Xiu raised his guard, wary of a sudden attack.

Luobo Minghai's hand emerged – not with a weapon, but holding an envelope, which he handed to Zichuan Xiu.

Zichuan Xiu hesitated as he took it, stepping back a few paces to open and read it.

"For the benefit of the family, the holder of this document, Lord Luobo Minghai, shall do what he must according to my orders. Civil and military officials of the family must cooperate.

Zichuan Canxing

Empire Year 773"

It was a handwritten order from Zichuan Canxing himself, bearing the seal of the Commander-in-Chief.

Year 773 was the year after Zichuan Xiu's decisive victory over the Liufeng army, and the first year of Zichuan Canxing's tenure as Commander-in-Chief. Three years before Di Lin infiltrated Yang Minghua's side as a spy, Zichuan Canxing had already placed a spy by Yang Minghua's side as soon as he became Commander-in-Chief!

Poor Yang Minghua, who considered himself so clever, had been completely unaware for six years that almost all of his trusted civil and military confidantes were sent by Zichuan Canxing.

Zichuan Xiu found it difficult to control the chill spreading through his heart. Zichuan Canxing's depth of scheming and calculation was terrifying! Only Luobo Minghai was his true confidant; Zichuan Xiu himself, Sterling, and Di Lin were merely pawns in his hands.

Outside the city, at the Di Lin Far East Army encampment.

"Lord Di Lin, the city gates have been opened!"

"Sir, four red lights have been lit on the city walls!"

Captain Cobra, Di Lin's personal guard, said uneasily to Di Lin, "Sir, this doesn't match the agreed-upon signal. It should be three lights – could it be a trap?"

Di Lin smiled, revealing his white teeth. "Who else in this world, besides Zichuan Xiu, would be foolish enough to misremember their own signals?"

Cobra issued the mobilization order for the Far East Army:

"Brothers of the Far East Army, Commander Di Lin, under secret orders from the Commander-in-Chief, is to suppress the rebel Yang Minghua! A true man seizes the opportunity to build his career, establish an eternal reputation, serve the emperor and earn merit, wealth, and honor. This is the moment to strike..."

Di Lin interrupted Cobra's speech and roared, "Listen up! Kill anyone you see in the streets! Fight well, and I, Old Man Di, will promote you! Kill all those rebels, and their women and money will be yours!"

"Shout it out, let those good-for-nothings in the Imperial Capital know that we, the Far East Army, are – Lions!"

The soldiers, already filled with murderous intent by Di Lin's incitement, roared the battle cry of the Far East Army: "Long live!" The thunderous sound of hooves surged into the beautiful, undefended Imperial Capital...

This was the night of March 26th, Empire Year 779, at eleven o'clock.

What happened next would be recorded in history, becoming an eternal part of it